Hard-Hitting Lucas Matthysse Fighting to Be the People's Champion
Lucas Matthysse doesn’t care what you think.
Speaking by phone through a translator, Matthysse refused to say why he rejected a promised bout against Floyd Mayweather Jr., via Seconds Out on YouTube, had he signed with Al Haymon (something sure to have netted him the largest payday of his career) to instead sign a five-year extension with Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions at a time when just about every other fighter on the roster was jumping ship.
I mean really. How could he turn down all that money?
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
“No,” Matthysse told Bleacher Report. “I’m not going to explain that.”
No matter. Matthysse has done quite well since committing himself to Golden Boy. The former 140-pound titleholder has already notched a win in one of the most highly anticipated matchups of the year against Ruslan Provodnikov in April.
Now, Matthysse is set to square off against Viktor Postol for the vacant WBC junior welterweight title.
"I’m very happy to finally be fighting again for the world championship," he said. "I’m very excited, and I’m ready for Viktor Postol on October 3."
Matthysse is a joy to behold in the boxing ring. He’s ruthless and aggressive, but he doesn’t simply walk into punching range and throw bombs. This guy is a real fighter. Matthysse is an accomplished boxer, one who fights at an even a higher level when he stays behind his jab as he did against Provodnikov.
One might assume Matthysse would fully commit to that strategy. But he said he never prepares for just one type of fight. Instead, he assesses his opponent in the ring on fight night and goes from there.
“The most important thing is for me to go into the fight prepared and be in top physical condition. I’ve been able to do those things in this camp, and I feel very comfortable for the fight. I don’t know what kind of fight it will be yet or what strategy I’ll use, because it all depends on what my opponent does.”
Boxers seldom admit to letting their opponents dictate how they will fight. Maybe it’s a pride thing. Maybe they just don't want their opponent to know. But Matthysse is the exception.
"If he comes out boxing, I will box," he said. "If he wants to brawl, I will brawl. I’m prepared to do both."
From a fan perspective, it doesn’t really matter which style Matthysse chooses. If there are two things you know you can expect from him, they are solid action and high drama in every fight. The 33-year-old from Argentina has participated in some of the best fights of the last two years, and no one expects that to stop happening anytime soon.
"I have had a lot of tough fights, and I’m happy to have had them because they were against some of the best fighters in the division," he said. "That’s what I want to do. I want to fight the best fighters so I can prove I’m the best. I’ve learned from each fight, and in each one I’ve taken away something new that has helped me become a better fighter."
Matthysse last suffered a loss in September 2013 against Danny Garcia. While many expected Matthysse’s power to be too much for his opponent, it turned out his aggressive effort to connect with that power was his undoing against a hard counterpuncher in Garcia.
But Matthysse isn’t the type to dwell on the past. He’s also not the kind of fighter who would rather be undefeated than untested. Instead, Matthysse emphasized the importance he places on fighting top-level competition.
Postol is mostly an unknown commodity on this side of the world, but he's a good fighter. Still, he's spent the majority of his undefeated professional career fighting over in Ukraine, and his most notable win is against Selcuk Aydin.
Regardless, Matthysse dismissed the suggestion Postol would be an easy out. He said he admired Postol as a great fighter and expected a competitive and compelling fight.
“My prediction is what it always is: to win. But also I want to give fans a great fight, one that they can enjoy.”
And that’s what it all seems to be about with Matthysse: the fans. In fact, after 20 minutes on the phone with him, I reversed my initial impression of him altogether.
He does care what you think.
"I stayed with Golden Boy because I’ve always been treated very well by them," he said. "I consider them part of my family, and my future with them is kind of obvious: I’m fighting for the world title, which is exactly what I want to do."
And Matthysse said future opponents such as Terence Crawford and even welterweight Timothy Bradley were already on his radar.
“They’re great fighters, the best in the weight class, and that’s what I’m looking for. I want to fight the best so I can be the best. I look forward to fighting them too.”
So Matthysse might not want your financial advice about what fight he should have taken against whom or who he should have signed with to get it, but he sure hopes to leave you impressed with what he does each and every he steps in the ring.
"Golden Boy will get me the best fights against the best fighters, and that’s what people want to see."
And there you have it: Matthysse, the junior welterweight who wants to be the people's champion, ended up explaining that rejection of Haymon and company after all.
Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained firsthand. Matthysse faces Postol on October 3. HBO will televise the bout live starting at 10:15 p.m. ET.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
